JULY 28, 2023

Statement from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on the Upcoming
Trilateral Leaders Summit of
the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea

STATEMENTS AND RELEASES
 

President Joe Biden will host Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan and President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea for a trilateral leaders summit at Camp David on August 18, 2023.  At the summit, the leaders will celebrate a new chapter in their trilateral relationship as they reaffirm their strong bonds of friendship and the ironclad alliances between the United States and Japan, and the United States and the Republic of Korea.  The three leaders will discuss expanding trilateral cooperation across the Indo-Pacific and beyond – including to address the continued threat posed by the DPRK and to strengthen ties with ASEAN and the Pacific Islands.  The summit will advance a shared trilateral vision for addressing global and regional security challenges, promoting a rules-based international order, and bolstering economic prosperity.

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In line with the April 2023 Washington Declaration and the historic decision by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and President Yoon Suk Yeol to establish the bilateral Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG), the national security authorities of the United States (U.S.) and the Republic of Korea (ROK) launched the inaugural meeting of the NCG on July 18, 2023, in Seoul. The NCG will be an enduring mechanism for strengthening the U.S.-ROK Alliance and enhancing our combined deterrence and response posture. As a result, the collective strength of our two nations will directly contribute to the continued peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and across the Indo-Pacific region.

The inaugural NCG meeting was convened by Dr. Kim Tae-hyo, Principal Deputy National Security Advisor of the ROK; Dr. Kurt Campbell, Coordinator for the Indo-Pacific at the U.S. National Security Council (NSC); and Ms. Cara Abercrombie, Coordinator for Defense Policy and Arms Control at the NSC. ROK and U.S. defense officials led at the assistant secretary-level, and foreign affairs officials took part in the meeting.

This inaugural NCG meeting afforded the United States an opportunity to reaffirm and strengthen the U.S. commitment to provide extended deterrence to the ROK backed by the full range of U.S. capabilities, including nuclear. Any nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its allies is unacceptable and will result in the end of that regime, and the U.S. and ROK sides highlighted that any nuclear attack by the DPRK against the ROK will be met with a swift, overwhelming, and decisive response. Both sides affirmed that the NCG will play an integral role in discussing and advancing bilateral approaches, including guidelines, to nuclear and strategic planning and responses to DPRK aggression. To that end, both sides established a range of workstreams to bolster nuclear deterrence and response capabilities on the Korean Peninsula, including the development of security and information sharing protocols; nuclear consultation and communication processes in crises and contingencies; as well as coordination and development of relevant planning, operations, exercises, simulations, trainings, and investment activities. In particular, the U.S. and ROK discussed joint planning and execution of ROK conventional support to U.S. nuclear operations as well as how to enhance visibility of U.S. strategic asset deployments around the Korean Peninsula.

Both sides committed to promptly executing these workstreams and other efforts within the NCG, and to report progress up to the ROK and U.S. presidents through their respective chains-of-command in the coming months. The NCG will be held quarterly at appropriate levels, and the next principal-level meeting will take place later this year in the United States.

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North Korea preparing and testing the Nuclear weapons have led many detonations for the neighboring countries:

The 2006 North Korean nuclear test was the detonation of a nuclear device conducted by North Korea on October 9, 2006.

On October 3, 2006, North Korea announced its intention to conduct a nuclear test. The blast is generally estimated to have had an explosive force of less than one kiloton, and some radioactive output was detected.  United States officials suggested the device may have been a nuclear explosive that misfired.

An anonymous official at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing told a South Korean newspaper that the explosive output was smaller than expected.  Because of the secretive nature of North Korea and small yield of the test, there remains some question as to whether it was a successful test of an unusually small device (which would have required sophisticated technology), or a partially failed "fizzle" or dud. A scientific paper later estimated the yield as 0.48 kilotons.

Reportedly the Government of the People's Republic of China was given a 20-minute advance notification that the test was about to occur.  China sent an emergency alert to Washington, D.C., through the U.S. embassy in Beijing at which time President George W. Bush was told by National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley "shortly after" 10 p.m. (UTC-5) that a test was imminent.

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2018

20 April: North Korea Leader, Kim Jong Un announces he would immediately suspend nuclear and missile testing and shut down the Punggye-ri site that was used for six earlier nuclear tests..

31 October: South Korea's National Intelligence Service conducts first ever inspection of North Korea's nuclear program and recommends international experts accept North Korea's invitation for an international inspection.

2019

1 December: North Korea announced it had recently conducted a "very important test" at its Sohae site. Some analysts believed the test involved a new ICBM engine, as the country was believed to be migrating from its liquid-fueled missiles to new solid-fueled versions that were easier to transport, conceal and launch.

14 December: The country announced it had conducted a "crucial test' at the Sohae site.

21 December: The New York Times reported that "American military and intelligence officials tracking North Korea’s actions by the hour say they are bracing for an imminent test of an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching American shores, but appear resigned to the fact that President Trump has no good options to stop it." Pyongyang had previously promised a "Christmas gift" if progress was not seen on relaxation of American sanctions. NBC News published commercial satellite photos showing what appeared to be the production and modification of ICBM launchers at a Pyongsong site.

31 December: The Korean Central News Agency announced that Kim had abandoned his moratoriums on nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests, quoting Kim as saying, "the world will witness a new strategic weapon to be possessed by the DPRK in the near future."

2020

17 January: John Hyden, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, states that North Korea is "building new missiles, new capabilities, new weapons as fast as anybody on the planet."

10 October: North Korea unveiled a massive ICBM during a military parade for the 75th anniversary of the Workers' Party of North Korea, with CNN reporting that it is one of the world's biggest road mobile ballistic missiles.

2023

North Korea announced a new nuclear warhead called Hwasan-31 (Volcano 31) and 8 diagrams of weapons that can carry this warhead.  The 8 Weapons were KN-24, KN-25, KN-23 Larger Variant, KN-23 SLBM Variant, KN-23 Smaller Variant, Haeil, Hwasal-1 and Hwasal-2.

GEO4 stated that The North Korea’s recent flurry of missile tests, in particular of short-range missiles, has put the spotlight on its efforts to develop new capabilities in this range and to replace Soviet-inherited

weapons with modern and accurate systems. Especially, the development of the KN-23, the KN 24 and the KN-25 is bound to be significant in Pyongyang’s capacities and strategy. This study

focuses on the new systems introduced, and assesses their potential impact as conventional

weapons and as non-conventional weapons. Through an analysis of the possible capacities of these systems, this study examines their consequences on North Korean strategy. It concludes

by exploring what this change of strategy may lead to, in military terms, and in political terms, on the Korean peninsula.

YOU MUST KNOW THE NUCLEAR DETONATIONS WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO THE WORLD AND  DRAMATICALLY DAMAGING  EARTH AND KILLS  PEOPLE WHICH CAUSES THE CLIMATE CHANGES. THE FOLLOWING VIDEO WILL SHOWS IT ALL:

Arirang News dated July 19th, 2023 Oh Soo-young:

Seoul and Washington ramp up their commitment to extended deterrence against North Korea, kicking off their first session of the Nuclear Consultative Group here in Seoul.

In line with that, an American nuclear submarine in making port in Busan, for the first time in more than 40 years.

Our top office correspondent Oh Soo-young has the details.

South Korea and the United States have launched a bilateral platform to take a "unified" nuclear response to North Korean threats, deemed an "unprecedented step" for Washington since the days of the Cold War.

On Tuesday,.. Seoul's Deputy National Security Advisor Kim Tae-hyo and his U.S. counterpart Kurt Campbell co-chaired the inaugural meeting of the Nuclear Consultative Group in Seoul.

"We discussed ways to jointly respond to N. Korea's nuclear threats. We also decided to materialize nuclear and strategic planning, and provide mechanisms and the architecture that can expand information-sharing on nuclear and conventional forces."

According to Kim, the first meeting focused on creating a secure dialogue channel, and identified five main areas for continual discussion, including the allies' joint planning and nuclear posture, and how to operate Washington's nuclear assets, with Seoul's non-nuclear assets together, deploying U.S. strategic assets to the South, along with crisis management and training nuclear experts in South Korea.

The NCG was formed as part of Presidents Yoon and Biden's Washington Declaration in April after North Korea launched an unprecedented number of missile tests last year and experts warned that a seventh nuclear test could be imminent.

With recent public opinion surveys finding over seventy percent feel the need for South Korea to develop its own nuclear weapons, Seoul and Washington in April agreed to bolster their joint capabilities and confidence in executing the U.S. Extended Deterrence policy of defending allies who fall under conventional or nuclear attack.

"We have not done anything like this since early periods in the Cold War, but it is a testament to several things. One, we understand the challenges here and how important it is to send a signal and commitment and confidence. Second, it is the nature of the strength of our alliance and partnership with South Korea "

Both Kim and Campbell stress that any nuclear attack by the North against the South will be met with a swift, overwhelming, and decisive response, resulting in the end of the Kim Jong-un regime.

Also, as security cooperation efforts with Japan continue, Campbell did not rule out the expansion of the NCG to other areas or countries,.. though emphasizing that the "lazer-sharp" focus right now would be bilateral.

"On that note, Seoul said a trilateral summit of leaders is being arranged for August in Washington, D.C.,.. with the agenda to cover regional and economic security, after which the NCG will convene a working-level meeting."

Hot Link

ROK President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee arrived in Washington D.C.on 25 April 2023 to mark 70 years of the alliance between the Republic of Korea and the United States. He visited Arlington National Cemetery to honor the lives lost in the Korean War. He also visited NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, with US Vice President Kamala Harris.

The following day,  ROK President Yoon Suk-yeol  was greeted by President Joe Biden at the White House for his state visit. During their meeting, the two stressed the importance of bilateral ties and deterring threats from North Korea. Later in the day, at his request, Elon Musk of Tesla and SpaceX scheduled a meeting with Yoon in Washington to discuss potential opportunities for Tesla production in South Korea. In the evening, Yoon was honored at a state dinner hosted by Biden. During the dinner, Biden remarked that he knew one of Yoon's favorite song's was Don McLean's “American Pie”, Yoon then sang the ballad in front of rapturous applause. Yoon was then presented a guitar signed by the singer Don McLean.

After two days later, on 27 April 2023, ROK President Yoon Suk-yeol  addressed a joint session of the United States Congress in the Capitol Building. In his speech, Yoon emphasized the long standing relationship between the United States and Korea, noting how past language barriers were no longer an issue thanks to cultural ties. He affirmed their alliance was ‘stronger than ever’.

President Joseph R. Biden of the United States of America and President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (ROK) met on this 26th day of April, 2023 to mark the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-ROK Alliance. The Alliance between our two nations has been forged in shared sacrifice, fortified by enduring security cooperation, and nourished by our close kinship that has enabled both countries to leverage their diplomatic resources to peaceably achieve crucial, strategic outcomes. What began as a security partnership has grown and expanded into a truly global Alliance that champions democratic principles, enriches economic cooperation, and drives technological advancements. Our Alliance has been tested many times, and in every instance we have risen to the occasion and responded to the changing threats on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific.

To commemorate this historic year for our Alliance, President Biden and President Yoon have committed to develop an ever-stronger mutual defense relationship and affirm in the strongest words possible their commitment to the combined defense posture under the U.S.-ROK Mutual Defense Treaty. The United States and the ROK are committed to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, and the measures we take together are in furtherance of that fundamental goal.

The ROK has full confidence in U.S. extended deterrence commitments and recognizes the importance, necessity, and benefit of its enduring reliance on the U.S. nuclear deterrent. The United States commits to make every effort to consult with the ROK on any possible nuclear weapons employment on the Korean Peninsula, consistent with the U.S. Nuclear Posture Review’s declaratory policy, and the Alliance will maintain robust communication infrastructure to facilitate these consultations.  President Yoon reaffirmed the ROK’s longstanding commitment to its obligations under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty as the cornerstone of the global nonproliferation regime as well as to the U.S.-ROK Agreement for Cooperation Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy.

The Alliance commits to engage in deeper, cooperative decision-making on nuclear deterrence, including through enhanced dialogue and information sharing regarding growing nuclear threats to the ROK and the region. The two Presidents announced the establishment of a new Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) to strengthen extended deterrence, discuss nuclear and strategic planning, and manage the threat to the nonproliferation regime posed by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). In addition, the Alliance will work to enable joint execution and planning for ROK conventional support to U.S. nuclear operations in a contingency and improve combined exercises and training activities on the application of nuclear deterrence on the Korean Peninsula. In keeping with the Presidents’ commitments, the Alliance has established a new bilateral, interagency table-top simulation to strengthen our joint approach to planning for nuclear contingencies.

President Biden reaffirmed that the United States’ commitment to the ROK and the Korean people is enduring and ironclad, and that any nuclear attack by the DPRK against the ROK will be met with a swift, overwhelming and decisive response.  President Biden highlighted the U.S. commitment to extend deterrence to the ROK is backed by the full range of U.S. capabilities, including nuclear. Going forward, the United States will further enhance the regular visibility of strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula, as evidenced by the upcoming visit of a U.S. nuclear ballistic missile submarine to the ROK, and will expand and deepen coordination between our militaries. Furthermore, the United States and ROK will strengthen standing bodies for consultations on extended deterrence, including the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group, to better prepare the Alliance to defend against potential attacks and nuclear use and conduct simulations to inform joint planning efforts.

President Yoon affirmed that the ROK will apply the full range of its capabilities to the Alliance’s combined defense posture. This includes working in lockstep with the United States to closely connect the capabilities and planning activities of the new ROK Strategic Command and the U.S.-ROK Combined Forces Command. Such activities will include a new table-top exercise conducted with U.S. Strategic Command.

In view of these critical developments, President Biden and President Yoon send a firm message to the international community that the United States and the ROK will stand together in the face of any and all threats to their shared security, and continue their close consultations on further steps to strengthen extended deterrence. In parallel, both Presidents remain steadfast in their pursuit of dialogue and diplomacy with the DPRK, without preconditions, as a means to advance the shared goal of achieving the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

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APRIL 26, 2023

Leaders’ Joint Statement in Commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the Alliance between the United States of America and
the Republic of Korea

Today President Joseph R. Biden Jr. of the United States (U.S.) and President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (ROK) met in Washington to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-ROK Alliance. This is the second State Visit of the Biden-Harris Administration. While our two nations are inseparably tied by our deep and unwavering security cooperation—reinforced today by the Presidents’ commitments in the Washington Declaration to develop ever-stronger mutual defense and deterrence—the greatest success of the Alliance is its clear and expanding focus on achieving a secure and brighter future for the American and Korean people. Together, we will increase our comprehensive global cooperation, deepen our robust regional engagement, and broaden our ironclad bilateral ties during the next 70 years of our Alliance to face the 21st century’s most difficult challenges head-on. Guided by our shared commitment to defend universal human rights, freedom, and the rule of law, the United States and the ROK are constructing an Alliance that will provide future generations with a firm foundation upon which to build prosperity and security.

Global Comprehensive Strategic Alliance

As the linchpin for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, our Alliance has grown far beyond the Korean Peninsula, reflecting the vital role of our two countries as global leaders in advancing democracy, economic prosperity, security, and technological innovation. The two Presidents reiterated their commitment to the principles enshrined in the UN Charter. President Biden applauded the ROK’s initiative to embrace greater global responsibilities, including by hosting the next Summit for Democracy, further developing the partnership with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the G7 on the basis of shared values, and continuing to expand contributions to UN peacekeeping activities. For his part, President Yoon expressed support for the United States’ cooperative efforts to ensure peace and security in the region, including through the launch of AUKUS. President Biden and President Yoon see global development cooperation as a key way to advance global stability and welcomed the signing of new institutional frameworks that strengthen U.S.-ROK development cooperation and beyond.

President Yoon and President Biden join the international community in condemning Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The United States and the ROK stand with Ukraine as it defends its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the two Presidents condemned in the strongest possible terms Russia’s actions against civilians and critical infrastructure. Both countries have responded resolutely to Russia’s clear violations of international law by promoting accountability through sanctions and export control measures, and we are continuing to support Ukraine through the vital provision of political, security, humanitarian, and economic assistance, including to increase power generation and transmission and rebuild critical infrastructure.

President Biden and President Yoon reiterate their commitment to diplomacy with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) as the only viable means of achieving lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and call on the DPRK to return to negotiations. The two Presidents are committed to build a better future for all Korean people and support a unified Korean Peninsula that is free and at peace. The United States and the ROK stand ready to provide humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable North Koreans and will strengthen cooperation to promote human rights in the DPRK as well as to resolve the issues of abductions, detainees, and unrepatriated prisoners of war. President Biden reaffirmed his support for the goals of the ROK’s Audacious Initiative. The United States and the ROK condemn the DPRK’s blatant violation of human rights and the dignity of its own people and its decision to distribute its scarce resources to weapons of mass destruction development, which presents a crucial security challenge for the Alliance. In this vein, the two Presidents condemn the DPRK’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs and call on the DPRK to halt their development. The United States and the ROK are committed to working with the UN Security Council and the international community to address actions by the DPRK and individuals and entities that violate UN Security Council resolutions. President Biden and President Yoon reiterate their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and reaffirm that a DPRK nuclear test would be met with a strong and resolute response from the international community.

The Presidents expressed their deep concern regarding the growing impact of climate change and biodiversity loss, and they committed to galvanize global action to address the climate crisis. President Yoon and President Biden reaffirmed their Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement and 2050 net-zero targets. Recognizing the need for ambitious power sector decarbonization to meet these goals, the Presidents agreed to significantly enhance the clean electricity share, including renewables and nuclear energy.  The Presidents committed to cooperate in the development and deployment of carbon reduction, renewable, and hydrogen technologies and enhance energy efficiency in industry, construction, and transportation. The Presidents seek to strengthen bilateral cooperation in clean hydrogen, methane abatement in the fossil fuel sector, green shipping, and accelerating the deployment of light-duty, zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs).

Our two nations are committed to the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The two leaders affirmed the importance of nuclear energy as a key means for overcoming the energy security crisis and achieving their goal of net zero emissions. The Presidents reaffirmed that both countries are committed to engaging in global civil nuclear cooperation consistent with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Additional Protocol, while mutually respecting each other’s export control regulations and intellectual property rights. They committed to promoting the responsible development and deployment of civil nuclear energy globally by leveraging financing tools, building capacity in recipient countries, and establishing a more resilient nuclear supply chain.

President Yoon and President Biden commit to strengthen the U.S.-ROK collaboration on research and development leading to increased investment that promotes the growth of digital content and cloud computing. The United States and the ROK acknowledge the importance of the free flow of data with trust across borders through an open, global, interoperable, reliable, and secure Internet. The Presidents view high-standard digital trade rules as a path toward an open and fair digital economy. Recognizing the importance of telecommunications security and vendor diversity, the Presidents also commit to work together to develop open, transparent, and secure 5G and 6G network devices and architectures using Open RAN approaches, both at home and abroad.

Expanding Cooperation Throughout the Indo-Pacific

The two Presidents recognized the importance of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific that is connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient and committed to strengthening mutual cooperation across the region. In this regard, President Biden welcomed the ROK’s first Indo-Pacific Strategy as a reflection of our shared regional commitment. The two Presidents affirmed that the two countries will cooperate in implementing their respective Indo-Pacific strategies and acknowledged the importance of Indo-Pacific voices in multilateral forums, especially in addressing climate change, sustainable energy access, and food insecurity.

The United States and the ROK are committed to an inclusive, free, and fair trading system and to working with likeminded partners against threats to ensure a prosperous future for the Alliance and the Indo-Pacific region. We share deep concerns about and express opposition to harmful uses of economic influence, including economic coercion as well as use of opaque tools with respect to foreign firms, and will cooperate with like-minded partners to counter economic coercion. The two nations are committed to building regional partnerships and coordinating measures to detect and address potential supply chain disruptions and strengthen resiliency. The United States and the ROK intend to provide resources for technical assistance, capacity building, and other cooperative initiatives to support high-standard outcomes in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and will make efforts to secure related financial resources for these purposes. President Biden welcomed President Yoon’s announcement that the ROK will host the fourth IPEF negotiating round in Busan later this year. The two nations also committed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

The two Presidents emphasized the importance of U.S.-ROK-Japan trilateral cooperation, guided by shared values, driven by innovation, and committed to shared prosperity and security. President Biden welcomed President Yoon’s bold steps toward improving ROK-Japan relations and extended strong support for expanding ROK-Japan collaboration, which opens the door to deeper trilateral cooperation on regional and economic security. The Presidents welcomed the progress made in sharing DPRK missile warning data in real-time and affirmed the regularization of anti-submarine and missile defense exercises to deter and respond to the DPRK’s advancing nuclear and missile threats more effectively. They also discussed plans for restoring maritime interdiction and anti-piracy exercises and identifying additional forms of trilateral training for disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.

The Presidents reiterated the importance of preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of security and prosperity in the region. They strongly opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the Indo-Pacific, including through unlawful maritime claims, the militarization of reclaimed features, and coercive activities. President Yoon and President Biden also reaffirmed their commitment to preserve unimpeded commerce, freedom of navigation and overflight, and other lawful use of the sea, including in the South China Sea and beyond, as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The two Presidents committed to increase cooperation with Southeast Asia and the Pacific Island Countries to promote resilient health systems, sustainable development, climate resilience and adaptation, energy security, and digital connectivity. They shared a commitment to ASEAN centrality as well as to enhancing cooperation on the provision of regional development assistance—including through new staff exchanges and peer-to-peer learning—and direct collaboration on programs, particularly in the Mekong sub-region. Both Presidents reaffirmed their commitment to contributing to the Pacific including through the Partners in the Blue Pacific initiative as well as the ROK’s decision to host the first ROK-Pacific Islands Summit in May.

Strengthening Ironclad Bilateral Collaboration

The U.S.-ROK relationship is marked by our longstanding investment, trade, technological, and people-to-people ties, which have led to significant economic opportunity and prosperity for both countries and will continue to do so for the next 70 years. The United States and the ROK committed to address trade concerns through the committees of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement and other relevant channels, including for semiconductors, steel, and other critical goods. The United States and the ROK will continue to consult closely on foreign exchange market developments to promote sustainable growth and financial stability, reaffirming their recognition of foreign exchange market cooperation.

President Biden and President Yoon affirmed the need to make bold investments to build clean energy economies and to build and strengthen mutually beneficial supply chain ecosystems for our critical technologies. In that regard, the two leaders appreciated the recent efforts made by the ROK and the United States to alleviate concerns of Korean businesses over the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the CHIPS and Science Act. The two Presidents committed to continue close consultations with a view to ensuring those Acts encourage mutually beneficial corporate investment in the United States by creating predictable conditions for business activities. They also committed to identifying opportunities for research and development collaboration in the fields of leading-edge semiconductors, advanced packaging, and advanced materials.

The two Presidents pledged to further improve our economic security by deepening and broadening cooperation on critical and emerging technologies, including through the establishment of a Next Generation Critical and Emerging Technologies Dialogue led by their National Security Advisors. They committed to more closely aligning on the spirit of digital technology standards and regulations to enhance public and private cooperation on leading-edge semiconductors, batteries, and quantum. They also noted cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, medical products using AI, and biomanufacturing. They reaffirmed the importance of deepening cooperation between our foreign investment screening and export control authorities, recognizing the necessity to take appropriate measures to ensure national security, while maintaining resilient global semiconductor supply chains and keeping up with rapid technological advancement. The two Presidents welcomed the signing of a joint statement on U.S.-ROK cooperation in quantum information science and technology, and they called for efforts to conclude a U.S.-ROK Reciprocal Defense Procurement Agreement to strengthen cooperation in the global defense industry.

President Yoon and President Biden recognized that the Alliance applies to cyberspace and committed to establish a U.S.-ROK Strategic Cybersecurity Cooperation Framework. The United States and the ROK commit to using this framework to expand cooperation on deterring cyber adversaries, increase the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure, combat cybercrime, and secure cryptocurrency and blockchain applications. The Presidents expressed concern regarding the DPRK’s illicit cyber activities that fund its unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs and committed to expanding information sharing and enhancing international awareness to combat DPRK cyber threats and block its cyber-enabled revenue generation.

Our Alliance also applies to space, and President Yoon and President Biden committed to further strengthening the U.S.-ROK Alliance across all sectors and through multiple channels of space cooperation. The two Presidents welcomed the ROK’s intention to expand its investments in space exploration and announced plans to study concepts for cooperation on the exploration of the Moon and Mars. The United States welcomed the ROK’s new Korea Aero Space Administration, anticipating collaborative projects. Both sides called for strengthening U.S.-ROK commercial space cooperation and welcomed the United States’ recent clarification of its export control policies on satellites and satellite components, which provides a foundation for expanded bilateral commercial and governmental space cooperation. Both sides welcomed the potential for industrial collaboration on future commercial space stations. The two Presidents also welcomed deepening space security cooperation, including the ROK’s commitment not to conduct destructive, direct-ascent anti-satellite missile testing. Both sides will work towards advancing bilateral space situational awareness cooperation in response to growing space risks and threats, and ensuring a safe, secure, and sustainable space environment through further development of norms of responsible behaviors.

The United States and the ROK are committed to deepening their people-to-people ties and educational cooperation for future generations in the fields of humanities and social sciences, as well as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) with the shared objective of fostering greater and deeper understanding through excellence in education. The Presidents announced a new educational exchange initiative amounting to $60 million, funded jointly, that aims to serve 2,023 Koreans and 2,023 Americans, symbolic of the year 2023 and in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Alliance. The initiative will include 200 grantees under the Fulbright scholarship program, making it the largest number of grantees selected for STEM in Fulbright’s history. President Biden and President Yoon noted that our mutual prosperity and global competitiveness depends on our ability to empower all our people, particularly women, to participate in and contribute to our economy, in all sectors and at all levels.

From developing resilient supply chains and investing in critical technologies and strategic sectors, such as semiconductors and critical minerals, to combating the climate crisis and accelerating the clean energy transition—our two nations are deepening and broadening all aspects of our relationship at a breakneck speed. These next 70 years of the U.S.-ROK Alliance will be the brightest yet. President Biden and President Yoon reaffirmed their joint commitments to working tirelessly to broaden and deepen our ties as an Alliance in action toward the future.

President Yoon expressed his gratitude for President Biden’s warm hospitality and extended an invitation for President Biden to visit the ROK again at a time of mutual convenience.

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APRIL 26, 2023

White House Releases State Dinner Guest List

This evening, the President and the First Lady of the United States will host President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea and Mrs. Kim Keon Hee, First Lady of the Republic of Korea, for a State Dinner.  

The following is a complete list of expected guests:   

THE PRESIDENT AND DR. BIDEN

HIS EXCELLENCY YOON SUK YEOL, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA AND MRS. KIM KEON HEE

Mr. Michael Arden

The Honorable Lloyd Austin, Secretary of Defense, U.S. Department of Defense & Mrs. Charlene Austin

Mr. Joe Bae & Mrs. Janice Lee

The Honorable Charlie Baker, Former Governor of Massachusetts

The Honorable Stephen K. Benjamin, Senior Advisor to the President for Public Engagement & The Honorable DeAndrea Benjamin

The Honorable Ami Bera, U.S. Representative & Dr. Janine Bera

The Honorable Anthony Bernal, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the First Lady

The Honorable Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky & Mrs. Britainy Beshear

Mr. Frank Biden & Ms. Mindy Ward

Mr. Dong-Bin Shin

Mr. Arthur Blank & Ms. Jennifer Hale

The Honorable Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State & The Honorable Evan Ryan, Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary

His Excellency Park Bo Gyoon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism

The Honorable Kurt Campbell, Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator for the Indo-Pacific, National Security Council & The Honorable Dr. Lael Brainard, Assistant to the President and Director of the National Economic Council

Dr. Victor Cha, Former National Foreign Policy Advisor & Mrs. Hyun Cha

His Excellency Lee Chang Yang, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy

Mr. Taewon Chey

Mr. David J. Cho

Mr. Walter Cho

The Honorable Judy Chu, U.S. Representative & Mr. Dean Chu

Mr. Euisun Chung

Mr. Kisun Chung

The Honorable Jen O’Malley Dillon, Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff & Mr. Patrick Dillon

The Honorable Michael C. Donilon, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the President & Mrs. Patricia Donilon

The Honorable Tammy Duckworth, U.S. Senator & Mr. Bryan Bowlsbey

Mr. Andrew Emhoff & Dr. Judy Lee

The Honorable Kim Eun Hye, Senior Secretary to the President for Public Relations, Office of the President

The Honorable Jon Finer, Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy National Security Advisor & The Honorable Kate Berner, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Communications Director

Mr. Byong Joon Kim

Mr. Hyun Joon Cho

Mr. Marcus Freeman & Mrs. Chong Freeman

Mrs. Joanna Gaines & Mr. Chip Gaines

The Honorable Suzy George, Chief of Staff, U.S. Department of State & Mr. Nate Tibbits

The Honorable Ralph James Gessner Jr., Chairman, Mohegan Tribe & Mr. Charles F. Bunnell

The Honorable Rufus Gifford, Chief of Protocol of the United States, U.S. Department of State

The Honorable Philip S. Goldberg, Ambassador of the United States to the Republic of Korea

The Honorable Dr. Philip Gordon, Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor to the Vice President & Mrs. Rachel Gordon

The Honorable Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence & Mr. David Davighi

The Honorable Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States & Mr. Douglas Emhoff

Ms. Meena Harris & Mr. Nikolas Ajagu

The Honorable Mazie Hirono, U.S. Senator & Mr. John Yang

The Honorable Joo Ho Young, Floor Leader of the People Power Party

Mrs. Chrisette Hudlin & Mr. Reginald Hudlin

His Excellency Cho Hyundong, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United States & Ms. Kim Soyeon

The Honorable Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President and Press Secretary

The Honorable Jeong Jeomsig, Member of the National Assembly

His Excellency Park Jin, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Ms. Min Jin Lee & Mr. Christopher A. Duffy

Ms. Angelina Jolie & Mr. Maddox Jolie-Pitt

His Excellency Lee Jong Ho, Minister of Science and ICT

Mr. Kim Junpyo, Director-General for North American Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Honorable Edgard Kagan, Senior Director for East Asia and Oceania, National Security Council & Ms. Cynthia L. Gire

Ms. Yongmee Michele Kang

The Honorable Andrew Kim, U.S. Representative & Mrs. Jae Kim

Ms. Chloe Kim & Ms. Jeanne Yang

Mr. Dongkwan Kim

The Honorable Young Kim, U.S. Representative & Mr. Charles Kim

Mr. Christopher Koo

The Honorable Daniel Kritenbrink, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, U.S. Department of State & Mrs. Nami Kritenbrink

His Excellency Choo Kyungho, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance

Mr. Sohn Kyung-Shik

The Honorable Ben LaBolt, Assistant to the President and Director of Communications

The Honorable Mitchell Landrieu, Senior Advisor and Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator & Ms. Grace Landrieu

Mr. Jay-Hyun Lee

Ms. Jung Lee

Mr. Norm Lewis

The Honorable Ted Lieu, U.S. Representative & Mrs. Betty Lieu

Mr. George Marcus & Mrs. Judy Marcus

General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff & Mrs. Hollyanne Milley

Ms. Sarah Min & Mr. Matt Pincus

Ms. Seung Min Kim & Ms. Mi Ryung Chang

His Excellency Park Min Shik, Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs

Mr. Kwang Mo Koo

Mrs. Janet Murguia & Mr. Mauro A. Morales

The Honorable Phil Murphy, Governor of New Jersey & Mrs. Tammy Murphy

Mr. Ki Mun Kim

The Honorable Ron Nirenberg, Mayor of San Antonio, Texas & Ms. Erika Prosper

The Honorable Victoria Nuland, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, U.S. Department of State & Dr. Robert Kagan

Mr. Carl Page & Mrs. Barbara Kay Page

Mr. Chan Ho Park & Mrs. Rie Park

The Honorable Penny Pritzker, Former Secretary of Commerce, & Ms. Vivian Riefberg

The Honorable Michael S. Purzycki, Mayor of Wilmington, Delaware & Mrs. Elizabeth J. Purzycki

The Honorable Natalie Quillian, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff & Mr. Ryan Quillian

The Honorable Gina Raimondo, Secretary of Commerce, U.S. Department of Commerce & Mr. Andy Moffit

The Honorable Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff & Ms. Bonnie LePard

The Honorable Steve Ricchetti, Assistant to the President and Counselor to the President & Mrs. Amy Ricchetti

The Honorable Susan Rice, Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy Council & Mr. Ian Cameron

The Honorable Julie Chávez Rodríguez, Assistant to the President, Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs & Mr. Aqeela Sherrills

The Honorable Mitt Romney, U.S. Senator & Mrs. Ann Romney

Mr. Jin Roy Ryu

Dr. Choi Sang Mok, Senior Secretary to the President for Economic Affairs, Office of the President

Ms. Lea Salonga

The Honorable Chuck Schumer, U.S. Senator

The Honorable Phil Scott, Governor of Vermont & Mrs. Marian DuBois

Mrs. Beth Shaw & Dr. David E. Shaw

The Honorable Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall, Assistant to the President and Homeland Security Advisor and Deputy National Security Advisor

Mr. Jin Shik Choi

Mr. William Singer & Ms. JoAnna Cicchelli

Mr. Jacob Snow & Ms. Samantha Cohen

The Honorable Gene Sperling, White House American Rescue Plan Coordinator and Senior Advisor to the President

The Honorable Michelle Steel, U.S. Representative & Ms. Siobhan Steel

The Honorable Marilyn Strickland, U.S. Representative & Mr. Patrick J. Erwin

The Honorable Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and Ms. Maggie Goodlander

The Honorable Park Sung Min, Member of the National Assembly

The Honorable Kim Tae Ho, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, National Assembly

Dr. Kim Tae Hyo, First Deputy Director of National Security, Office of the President

The Honorable Lee Choongmyon, Secretary to the President for Foreign Affairs, Office of the President

The Honorable Kim Taejin, Chief of Protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Honorable Cho Taeyong, Director of National Security, Office of the President

The Honorable Katherine Tai, U.S. Trade Representative & Mr. Robert Skidmore

The Honorable Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Representative of the United States to the United Nations

The Honorable Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President and Director of Oval Office Operations

The Honorable Richard Verma, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, U.S. Department of State & Mrs. Melineh Verma

The Honorable Lorraine Voles, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Vice President & Mr. Dan Smith

Ms. Jessica Vosk

The Honorable Victoria Woodards, Mayor of Tacoma, Washington & Mr. Scott Breckenridge

Ms. Eun Yang & Mr. Robert Kang

Mr. Jae Yong Lee

Mr. Gideon Yu & Mrs. Susie Min Yu

The Honorable Jeff Zients, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the President & Mrs. Deborah Zients

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APRIL 26, 2023

Remarks by President Biden and President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea in Joint Press Conference

Rose Garden

1:43 P.M. EDT

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Well, Mr. President, it’s good to see you again, my friend.

We’ve met several times over the last year.  And each time, we have deepened our nations’ partnership and for the benefit, I think, of both our peoples.  And today is no exception.

Our nations’ relationship is a — has a been a great success story.  The alliance formed in war and has flourished in peace.

Seemingly every day, we’ve launched new areas of cooperation on cyber, strategic technologies, space, democracy, and all the areas that matter most to our future.

Because of its core, our alliance is about building a better future for all of our people.  And there’s no better example than our economic relationship and partnership, which has — is delivering incredible benefits to both our nations.

Through the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, we’re advancing economic growth grounded in high standards for our workers, for the environment, and for communities throughout the region.

We’re standing together against economic influence being leveraged in coercive ways.

And since I took office, Korean companies have invested more than $100 billion in the United States, driving innovation and spurring good new jobs for Americans and Korean workers.

Our mutual defense treaty is ironclad, and that includes our commitment to extended deterrence, and — and that includes the nuclear threat and — the nuclear deterrent.

They are particularly important in the face of the DPRK’s increased threats and the blatant violation of U.S. [U.N.] sanctions.

At the same time, we continue to seek serious and substantial diplomatic breakthroughs with the DPRK to bolster stability on the Peninsula, reduce the threat of proliferation, and address our humanitarian and human rights concerns for the people of the DPRK.

The Republic of Korea and the United States are working together, including through our trilateral cooperation with Japan, to ensure the future of the Indo-Pacific is free, is open, prosperous, and secure.

I want to thank you again, Mr. President, for your political courage and personal commitment to — to diplomacy with Japan.

I’ve worked on these issues for a long time, and I can tell you it makes an enormous difference when we all pull together.

I also welcome and support your administration’s new Indo-Pacific strategy.  It’s a strategy that affirms how aligned our two nations are and our visions of the region, and how similar they are.

Today, we discussed our work together on promoting peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, ensuring freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and beyond.

(Clears throat.)  Excuse me.

I also affirmed our shared commitment — we, together, shared our affirmed shared commitment to stand with the people of Ukraine against Russia’s brutal assault on their freedom, their territorial integrity, and democracy.

And the Republic of Korea’s strong support for Ukraine is important, because Russians’ flagrant — Russia’s flagrant violation of international law matters to nations everywhere in the world, not just in Europe.

When I — when it comes right down to it, it’s about what you believe, what you stand for, what kind of future you want for your children and grandchildren.

And right now, I believe the world is at an inflection point.

The choices we make today, I believe, are going to determine the direction of our world and the future of our kids for decades to come.

That’s why this partnership is so important, Mr. President — because we share the same values, the same vision.

And I greatly appreciate, Mr. President, that the Republic of Korea co-chaired the second Summit on Democracies last month and that you will host the third Summit on — for Democracies.

We both understand that our democracies and our people are our greatest sources of strength.  And working together, they make our nations stronger and more effective.

From tracking the climate crisis and strengthening our effort to fight it, and strengthening global health, no two countries are better suited to meet the challenges ahead than the Republic of Korea and the United States.

I want to thank you again, Mr. President, for your friendship, your partnership, and all you’ve done to help build a future of shared strength and success.

The floor is yours, Mr. President.

PRESIDENT YOON:  (As interpreted.)  President Biden, thank you for your special and warm hospitality.  I am very pleased to be making a state visit to the United States during this meaningful year that marks the 70th anniversary of the ROK-U.S. Alliance.

Our two countries have overcome challenges and crises during the past 70 years based on the deep roots of freedom and democracy, building a value alliance that is strong, resilient, and sustainable.

We are now being threatened by an unprecedented polycrisis.  The ROK-U.S. Alliance is jointly overcoming this crisis also coming from North Korea as a righteous alliance that contributes to world peace and prosperity.

We will further expand the depth and denotation of the ROK-U.S. global comprehensive strategic partnership and march forward to the future.

Today, President Biden and myself engaged in constructive dialogue to discuss ways to materialize this shared vision.  The outcome of our dialogue is well outlined in the joint statement adopted today.

The first key outcome is extended deterrence.  Sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula does not happen automatically.  Our two leaders have decided to significantly strengthen extended deterrence of our two countries against North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats so that we can achieve peace through the superiority of overwhelming forces and not a false peace based on the goodwill of the other side.

Such a will and commitment is captured in the Washington Declaration.  President Biden has reaffirmed his ironclad commitment to extended deterrence towards the Republic of Korea.

Our two countries have agreed to immediate bilateral presidential consultations in the event of North Korea’s nuclear attack and promised to respond swiftly, overwhelmingly, and decisively using the full force of the alliance including the United States’ nuclear weapons.

Our two countries have agreed to establish a Nuclear Consultative Group to map out a specific plan to operate the new extended deterrence system.

Now our two countries will share information on nuclear and strategic weapon operations plans in response to North Korea’s provocations and have regular consultations on ways to plan and execute joint operations that combine Korea’s state-of-the-art conventional forces with the U.S.’s nuclear capabilities, the results of which will be reported to the leaders of our two countries on a regular basis.

In addition, our two countries have agreed to further advance tabletop exercises against a potential nuclear crisis.

In addition, deployment of the United States’ strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula will be made constantly and routinely.

President Biden and I will continue to cooperate to strengthen extended deterrence between our two countries based on our historical and concrete agreement reached during our summit.

Second, our two leaders have agreed to further strengthen the strategic partnership in economic security, which is directly related to the national economies of our two countries.

President Biden and I welcomed the expansion of our firms’ bilateral mutual investment and advanced technology including semiconductors, electric vehicles, and batteries.

President Biden has said that no special support and considerations will be spared for Korean companies’ investment and business activities in particular.

We have agreed to consult and coordinate closely so that the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act can further strengthen supply chain cooperations between the two countries in advanced technology.

Furthermore, we plan on ramping up partnerships in cutting-edge technology.

We have agreed to establish a dialogue for next-generation emerging and core technology between the U.S. National Security Council and the Korea Office of National Security, pertaining to chips, batteries, biotechnology, quantum science, and other cutting-edge technologies, with the aim of promoting joint R&D and experts exchange.

We have also adopted a separate joint statement for strengthening cooperation in the rapidly emerging quantum science and technology domain.

President Biden and I have also agreed to get the ball rolling on discussions about expanding our alliance into cyber and space by applying the Mutual Defense Treaty in cyberspace and space as well.

We have also agreed that the Strategic Cybersecurity Cooperation Framework adopted this time around will serve as the foundation on which we address cyber threats together and boost cooperation and information sharing, collection, and analysis.

Space is another area that shows great promise for cooperation between our two countries.  During my time here, I was able to visit the NASA Goddard Space Center.  President Biden welcomed the establishment of KASA, and we have agreed to promote cooperation between KASA and NASA.

We have also agreed to accelerate discussions on reaching a reciprocal defense procurement agreement, which is equivalent to an FTA in terms of national defense.

Meanwhile, President Biden and I have agreed to promote exchange between the future generations of our two countries.  To this end, we have launched the U.S.-ROK special exchange initiative for youths.

In celebration of the 70th anniversary of the ROK-U.S. Alliance this year, our two countries plan to invest a total of $60 million to support exchanges between 2,023 youths majoring in STEM, humanities, and social sciences.  And this also includes the largest Fulbright program to date, which will provide scholarships for 200 students.

Last but not least, President Biden and I have agreed that South Korea and the United States, as key partners in achieving stability and building peace in the Indo-Pacific region, will put our heads together as we implement our Indo-Pacific strategies to strengthen our cooperation in addressing regional and global challenges.

In particular, President Biden expressed strong support for efforts made by the Korean government to normalize Korea-Japan relations, and we have agreed to continue our efforts in strengthening Korea-U.S.-Japan trilateral cooperation.

Furthermore, we reaffirmed that the use of force to take the lives of innocent people — an example of which would be Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — can in no circumstances whatsoever be justified.

In that sense, we agreed to continue our cooperation and efforts alongside the international community to support Ukraine.

During this meeting, we also discussed plans through which our two countries can take a leadership role in addressing global challenges, such as climate change, international development, and energy and food security.

I am delighted that through today’s meeting, we’ve opened up a new chapter for the next 70 years of the ROK-U.S. Alliance.

I hope President Biden and I, with the support of people in our two countries, can fully deliver on the blueprint that we have mapped out today with the aim of our — founded in the reaffirmation of the value of freedom and our universal values.

Thank you.  (Applause.)

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Thank you.

Now we’re going to take some questions.  The first question is from Courtney of the Los Angeles Times.

Q    Thank you, Mr. President.  Your top economic priority has been to build up U.S. domestic manufacturing in competition with China.  But your rules again- — against expanding chip manufacturing in China is hurting South Korean companies that rely heavily on Beijing.  Are you damaging a key ally in the competition with China to help your domestic politics ahead of the election?

And one for President Yoon: There have been concerns since last year that North Korea will soon be conducting its seventh nuclear test amid growing domestic support in your country for your own nuclear weapons.  Meanwhile, Russia has suggested it could send its latest weapons to North Korea if South Korea sends lethal aid to Ukraine.  How do you seek to manage the North Korea risk amid obligations to Ukraine and NATO?

Thank you.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Let me respond to your question first.

My desire to increase U.S. manufacturing and jobs in America is not about China.  I’m not concerned about China.

Remember, America invented the semiconductor.  We invented it.  We used to have 40 percent of the market.  And we decided that what we’re going to do over the past — I don’t know how many decades — we decided that it was going to be cheaper to export jobs and import product.  And along came the pandemic.  And the pandemic taught us that — we used to have, as I said, 40 percent of the market just some years ago.  Now it’s down to 10 percent.  And again, we invented the super- —

We got — so I decided to go out and see what we could do to increase our hold on the market once again.  And so what I did was I went around the country.  As well as in addition to passing the CHIPS and Science Act, I, in fact, visited countries around the world.  And two significant South Korean companies decided they were going to invest billions of dollars in chip manufacturing in the United States.

It wasn’t designed to hurt China.  It was designed to — so we didn’t have to worry about whether or not we had access to semiconductors.  For example, during the pandemic, what happened was all of a sudden everybody started to learn the phrase “supply chain.”  A year ago, no one knew what the hell anybody was talking about when you said “supply chain.”  But now they all know.  And we lost access to these — these semiconductors and which new automobiles in the United States need 30,000 of them just to build a new automobile.  And we didn’t have them.

So we started to invest here.  And what happened was, when we encouraged the investment through the CHIPS and Science Act — and now we have enormous investment in the United States — well over $200 tril- — billion in long-term investment in semiconductors.  And we’re rebuilding the economy of the United States with those semiconductors.  It’s not designed to hurt China.

The only thing I did say, with regard to China: There are certain extremely sophisticated semiconductors that we have built that are useful for nuclear and/or other weapons systems.  Those we are not selling.  We’re not exporting them to China or anyone else.

And so that’s the context in which this has all occurred.  In the meantime, we’re creating thousands of jobs and bringing back a sense of pride and dignity to so many towns in the country where, all of a sudden, over the last three decades, we found out that factory that hired — had 600 people shut down.  The soul of that community was lost.

And so I made sure, when the semiconductors were coming back, that they were not just going to go to the coast, they’d be all over the country.

And so we have a significant “field of dreams” in — outside of — in Ohio, outside of Columbus.  We’re in Texas.  We’re in Arizona.  Anyway — they’re all over the country.

So, it’s not viewed to hurt anyone else.  We are providing access to those semiconductors.  We’re not — we’re a supply chain you can count on.

But we are not — we are not going to sit back and be in a position where we don’t have access to those semiconductors.  We are not going to be a place where we’re the end of that line.  We — we’re the beginning of it.

And it’s generating significant economic growth in America and not hurting anybody.

And, by the way, it’s creating jobs in — in South Korea.  It’s creating jobs in South Korea — and not just with SK, but — anyway — with Samsung and other — other industries.

So, I think it’s a win-win.

PRESIDENT YOON:  (As interpreted.)  With regard to your question, let me provide my answer.  Korea and the U.S., based on its Washington Declaration, our two countries have agreed to strengthen extended deterrence, and the implementation level is different from the past.

First of all, we have an NCG — Nuclear Consultative Group — that has been launched that will implement discussions and actions.  And we will hold regular meetings and consultations under NCG.  We will share information on mutual nuclear assets and intelligence, and we will jointly plan responses and also jointly plan exercises and drills and implementation plans.  So, all of these will be strengthened and specified under the Nuclear Consultative Group.

We want to customize our response against North Korea’s nuclear threat based on extended deterrence.  And in the process of achieving this goal, any concerns that Koreans may have against North Korean nuclear weapons will be relieved, I believe.

If nuclear weapons are used, our two countries will strengthen our response in a swift manner.

Any further questions to me?  Please.

Q    (As interpreted.)  Reporter Won Junghee from MBN.  I have two questions for you.  With regard to extended deterrence, the NCG that has been formed, how will Korea function under NCG?  Any kind of nuclear-equipped nuclear assets will be in function?

And to President Biden: Korea is to maintain the NPT and it is to strengthen extended deterrence, correct?  So, based on your view, do you think this is enough to guard Korea against the North Korean nuclear threat?

Thank you very much.

PRESIDENT YOON:  (As interpreted.)  Well, let me address your question about the activities of the NCG.  We are going to be sharing information, and we are going to be acting jointly.  That is the key.

I can’t talk to the specifics right now about what type of information and what type of specific activities we will be conducting.

But, however, under the nuclear umbrella, our extended deterrence was a lot lower.  So, right now it’s an unprecedented expansion and strengthening of the extended deterrence strategy under the Washington Declaration, which will create the NCG.

The implementation and the response at this level has never thus far been this strong.  So, this is a new level of extended deterrence much stronger; that, I can say with confidence.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  The response that I would give you is that the extended deterrence means that we are having more consultation with whatever action is to be contemplated or taken.  And we made it really very, very clear.

Any — the ROK has repeatedly formed its — confirmed its commitment to — to the nonproliferation treaty.  And the Washington Declaration is a prudent step to reinforce extended deterrence and respond to advancing DPRK nuclear threat.

Look, a nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its allies or partisans — partners — is unacceptable and will result in the end of whatever regime, were it to take such an action.

And it’s about strengthening deterrence in response to the DPRK’s escalatory behavior and to deal in complete consultation.

And, you know, the idea that I have absolute authority as Commander-in-Chief and the sole authority to use a nuclear weapon.  But, you know, what the declaration means is that we’re going make every effort to consult with our allies when it’s appropriate if any actions are so called for.

Certainly, we’ve talked about this and some other things today.  But the bottom line here is: There’s even closer cooperation, closer consultation.  And — and we’re not going to be stationing nuclear weapons on — on the Peninsula, but we will have visits to — port visits of nuclear submarines and things like that.  We are not walking away from that.

My turn to ask a question?  I think the next question is Mary Bruce, ABC.

Q    Thank you, Mr. President. You recently launched your reelection campaign.  You’ve said questions about your age are “legitimate.”  And your response is always “Just watch me.”  But the country is watching, and recent polling shows that 70 percent of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, believe you shouldn’t run again.  What do you say to them?  What do you say to those Americans who are watching and aren’t convinced?

You’ve said you can beat Trump again.  Do you think you’re the only one?

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  I may not be the only one, but I know him well.  And I know the danger he presents to our democracy.  And we’ve been down this road before.

And with regard to — to age, you know, and — and polling data, I noticed the polling data I keep hearing about is that I’m between 42 and 46 percent favorable rating, et cetera.  And — but everybody running for reelection in this time has been in the same position.  There’s nothing new about that.  You’re making it sound like “Biden is really underwater.”  And — number one.

Number two, when the same polling data asks whether they think what kind of job I’ve done, it gets overwhelmingly positive results — from 58 percent thinking everything from the CHIPS Act and the — all the things we’ve done.

You know, we’ve created — like I said, we’ve created 12 million new jobs.  We’ve created 800,000 manufacturing jobs.  We have economic growth moving.

We’re in a situation where the climate — we’ve invested more money and more help in dealing with the climate crisis than any nation in the world.  And so, things — things are moving.

And the reason I’m running again is there’s a job to finish.

The other thing is that — look, you know, think about what I inherited when I got elected.  I inherited a nation in overwhelming debt at the time, number one — in the hole for the four years that he was President.

I inherited a nation that had a serious lo- — loss of credibility around the world as “America First” and —

You know, the first meeting I attended — the G7 — I said, “American is back.”  And one of the world leaders looked and said, “For how long?  For how long?”

There was a great concern about the United States being able to lead the free world.  And we’re doing that again.

And those same polls you look at — you take a look at the polls that are saying whether I pulled together NATO and the European Union, as well as the Asian partners.  I think we have.  But there’s more to do.

And with regard to age, I can’t even say — if I guess how old I am, I can’t even say the number.  It doesn’t — it doesn’t register with me.

And — but the only thing I can say is that one of the things that people are going to find out — they’re going to see a race, and they’re going to judge whether or not I have it or don’t have it.  I respect them taking a hard look at it.  I’d take a hard look at it as well.  I took a hard look at it before I decided to run.

And I feel good.  I feel excited about the prospects.  And I think we’re on the verge of really turning the corner in a way we haven’t in a long time.

I know you’re tired of hearing me say we’re at an inflection point, but we really are.  What happens in the next two, three, four years is going to determine what the next three or four decades look like.  And I have never been more optimistic in my life about the possibilities of the United States.

Q    To be clear, though, you just said, “I know him well.”  Did Donald Trump’s decision to run affect yours?  Would you be running if he wasn’t?

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Yeah, I think I still would be running if he wasn’t.  I — I do know him well.  He’s not hard to know, as you know.  You know him well, too.

And the question is whether or not — look, there’s just — there’s more to finish the job.  We have an opportunity to put ourselves in a position where we are economically and politically secure for a long time.

Look, there — we continue to have — and I know you don’t like me — hearing me saying it.  There’s still a contest between autocracies and democracies, and we’re the leading democracy in the world.  And it’s something I know a fair amount about.  It’s something I care about and something that I have found a willingness of an awful lot of our allies and friends to follow.

So, I think that, you know, we have to finish the job and nail it down.

Q    (Inaudible.)

INTERPRETER:  You need to repeat the question; the mic was not used.  We cannot interpret.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  They need to repeat the question.

Q    Mr. President, (inaudible).

INTERPRETER:  Please use the microphone.  We cannot provide interpretation if you do not use the microphone.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  You need the microphone.

Q    My apologies.  Thank you.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  (Inaudible) stealing the microphone.

Q    Did the recent leaks revealing that the U.S. was spying on South Korea come up at all in your discussions?  And did President Biden provide you any assurances?

PRESIDENT YOON:  (As interpreted.)  With regard to that, we are communicating between our two countries, and we are sharing necessary information.

I believe that investigation is underway in the United States, so various and complex variables are always in play.  We need time to wait for the investigation results by the United States.  And we plan to continue to communicate on the matter.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  This will be the last question.

Q    (As interpreted.)  I’m from Financial News.  My name is Kim Hakjae.  My question goes to both of you.  My first one goes to President Yoon first.

During the state visit, you’ve said that the alliance has strengthened to cutting-edge industries, to cutting-edge science.  And also investments in businesses have been some of the outcomes.  These are some positives.  However, to each individual of the public, how will this have a long-term impact?  What will be the direct benefits felt?

And to President Biden: In celebration of the 70th anniversary of the ROK-U.S. Alliance, I know that the atmosphere is really positive.  However, Korean businesses, especially because of the CHIPS Act and the IRA, are on edge.

What message can you send to the Korean companies to really make sure and tell them that this is not something to worry about?

PRESIDENT YOON:  (As interpreted.)  The technology cooperation between the ROK and the U.S., and also in partnerships in cutting-edge industries, in science and technology, was your first question.  So, that is about really strengthening the competitiveness of our two countries.  And it will enhance the productivity and to create added value — high added value.  These are the types of products that are going to be produced.

And from the perspective of the public, for each individual: In that process, they will reap the benefits wide and comprehensive that will stem from these industries and investments in these industries — for example, from job creation, as well.

And above all, the future generations will be given the determination and will to take on new challenges and embrace opportunities in our industry so that they can continue to prosper and grow and become more abundant in the future.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  The reassurance is that it’s overwhelmingly in our interests for Korea to do well.  No, it is.  It’s very much in America’s interest that Korea do well in the Pacific — very well — because they are one of our most valued partners.

And so I think the combination of growing democracies and the democratic institutions, as well as their economies, is overwhelmingly in the benefit of the United States, whether it is in South Korea or it’s in Australia, in the deep South Pacific.

And so, I think that there’s a reason — overwhelming reason.

Plus, in addition to that, we’re increasing the number of student exchanges, access to more information between our folks, educating our people, as well as we’re going to be cooperating on everything from space to technology to medicine.  And so, there’s so many opportunities we have.

And I don’t think we — at least we don’t — and I don’t think, so far, most of the South Korean companies believe that there’s somehow a — a U.S. effort to slow them down, prevent their growth, or anything like that.  We’d like to see them grow.  And — and I mean that sincerely.

It’s overwhelmingly in the U.S. interest for South Korea to do very well economically.  It’s overwhelmingly in our interest because it has —

And lastly, you know, I think we underestimate the example that South Korea sets.  Here you have a nation that is significant but is not a nation of 2-, 3-, 400,000 people, making the kind of changes it’s making.

It gives other smaller nations hope to believe that if they have democratic institutions and commitment and in- — and impact on industries that in fact are the cutting-edge industries — new sciences and technology, including AI and other things — that there’s a future for them.  And I think that’s what this is about.

And so we — we view South Korea’s economic growth as a benefit to the United States, as well as freedom around the world.

Thank you all so very much.  Appreciate it.  (Applause.)

Q    (Inaudible) debt limit vote?  Are you going to (inaudible) McCarthy?

Q    Republicans say you’re refusing to negotiate on the debt limit.  They’re saying you’re missing in action.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  They haven’t figured out the debt limit yet.

Q    Are you missing in action?

Q    Will negotiate with them on the debt limit?

Q    Will you meet with McCarthy?

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  I’m happy to meet with McCarthy, but not on whether or not the debt limit gets extended.  That’s not negotiable.

I notice they quote Reagan and they quote — they quote Reagan all the time and they quote Trump, both of which said — it says — I’m paraphrasing — it would be an absolute crime to not extend the debt limit.

2:19 P.M. EDT

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APRIL 26, 2023

Remarks by President Biden and President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea Before Bilateral Meeting

Oval Office

11:16 A.M. EDT

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Well, Mr. President, a friend, we’re honored to celebrate with you the 70th — the 70th anniversary of our alliance with you, with Korea.  And the — and as President Eisenhower said all those years ago — he said, quote, “The security of an individual nation in a free world depends upon the security of its partners.”

And today, I’m proud to say, Mr. President, I think that our partnership is ready to take on any challenges we may face.

We see it in the Indo-Pacific, where our alliance is the linchpin of regional security and prosperity.

And we see it — we see it in the Indo-Pacific, where our alliance is the linchpin of that security.  And we see it in our defense of democratic values — from the ROK leading the next Summit for Democracy, to our shared commitment to stand with Ukraine as it defends its democracy against Russia’s assault.

And we also see it in the way we’re doubling down on our cooperation as allies, even as the DPRK ramps up its challenges.

And we see it in our growing economic cooperation.  ROK businesses are investing billions in the United States.  And together, we’re building the future — everything from electric vehicles and batteries, to solar power, to semiconductors.

Mr. President, I want to thank you and your courageous, principled diplomacy with Japan, which strengthens our trilateral partnership.  It makes an enormous difference.

I’m looking forward to our meeting today.  And most importantly, I’m looking forward to the future our countries will forge together.

Thank you for being here.

PRESIDENT YOON:  (As interpreted.)  Mr. President, thank you very much for your warm welcome once again.  It is indeed meaningful for me to talk to you here at the Oval Office.

This is the very place where the presidents of the United States strive to realize a nation that embodies the spirit of the Constitution written by the Founding Fathers.

I suppose that many important decisions regarding the Republic of Korea were also made at this office.  I believe I was only able to be here today as a consequence of all those moments of history.

The journey of the ROK-U.S. alliance over the past 70 years proves that our predecessors’ decisions were right and wise.

Korea rose from the ashes of war and has become one of the leading countries of the international community.  Now, the ROK-U.S. alliance is not only the linchpin of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula but also across the globe.

Mr. President, our alliance is an alliance of values based on our shared universal values of freedom and democracy.  It is not a contractual relationship of convenience only seeking for interest.  Guided by our shared values, our alliance is an everlasting partnership.

The ROK-U.S. alliance is also resilient.  Together, we can resolve any issues between us through close consultations.

This is the reason that the ROK-U.S. alliance is now transforming into a true global alliance.

Mr. President, attempts to alter status quo by force, supply chain fragmentation and disruption, challenges in food and energy security are threatening global peace and stability.

As a value alliance, we can together play a critical role in navigating through all of these challenges, Mr. President.

Mr. President, our summit talks today will set a historic milestone for the alliance, marching anew toward the peace and prosperity of the world as a global alliance.

(The leaders shake hands.)

PRESIDENT YOON:  (Inaudible.)

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Agreed.

All right.  Thank you all.

Q    Mr. President, a comment on your reelection, sir?

Q    (Inaudible) call with Xi, Mr. President?

(Cross-talk.)

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  We’ll see you in the Rose Garden.

Q    Mr. President, a comment on your reelection, sir?

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Underway.

11:24 A.M. EDT

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APRIL 26, 2023

Joint Statement from the Presidents of the United States of America and the Republic of Korea on the Identification of Medal of Honor Recipient from Korean War

The United States of America and Republic of Korea are honored to announce that Army Corporal Luther H. Story, of Buena Vista, Georgia, killed during the Korean War and missing for 73 years, has been accounted for.

In late August 1950, U.S. forces in Korea were primarily located along the Pusan Perimeter, a defensive formation around the towns of Pusan and Yeongsan, South Korea, along the eastern shore of the Naktong River.  On August 31, members of A and B Companies of the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division took the brunt of large-scale attack by the North Korean People’s Army.  A member of A Company, Corporal Story displayed conspicuous bravery during intense combat on September 1.

Corporal Story was awarded the nation’s highest award for his heroic actions that day.  Within his Medal of Honor Citation are statements of his gallantry: “he fearlessly stood in the middle of the road, throwing grenades into the truck.  Out of grenades, he crawled to his squad, gathered up additional grenades, and again attacked the vehicle . . . During the withdrawal the company was attacked by such superior numbers that it was forced to deploy in a rice field . . . [he] was wounded in this action, but, disregarding his wounds, rallied the men about him and repelled the attack.  Realizing that his wounds would hamper his comrades, he refused to retire to the next position but remained to cover the company’s withdrawal. When last seen he was firing every weapon available and fighting off another hostile assault.”

In the weeks and months following the September 1 battle, Corporal Story’s remains could not be located or identified nor was he recorded as being taken prisoner.  On January 16, 1956, after he could not be associated with any of the remains exchanged by both sides during Operation GLORY in 1954, Corporal Story was declared unrecoverable.

In June 2021, as part of the plan to disinter 652 Korean War Unknowns from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) inspected Unknown X-260 Tanggok, a set of remains recovered near Sangde-po, South Korea.  

Scientists from the DPAA used dental and anthropological analyses while scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA analysis to identify these remains as Corporal Story.

General of the Army Omar Bradley presented Corporal Story’s father the Medal of Honor in a ceremony at the Pentagon on June 21, 1951.  He is survived by his niece, Mrs. Judy Wade of Americus, Georgia, whose mother was his younger sister.  

The supreme sacrifice and heroism of Corporal Luther Story is illustrative of the freedom, security, and prosperity the South Korean people have today.

Both countries will continue making every effort to identify service members missing in action like Army Corporal Story. On this 70th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice and the U.S.-ROK alliance, our two countries take this joint statement as an opportunity to reaffirm our respect and gratitude for the courageous acts of our service members in defense of our freedom, values and democracy.

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APRIL 26, 2023

Remarks by President Biden and President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea at Arrival Ceremony

South Lawn

10:27 A.M. EDT

PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Good morning, good morning, good morning.  (Applause.)  What a beautiful day to invite great friends back to the White House.  And welcome to the White House.

Today — today, we celebrate the ironclad alliance, the shared vision of our future, and the deep friendship that unites the Republic of Korea and the United States.

President Yoon, Mrs. Kim, you were kind enough to host me in Seoul last year just 10 days after your inauguration.

And Jill and I, we’re honored to be able to return some of your hospitality with your second state visit to this administration.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the alliance between our two nations.  It’s an unbreakable bond, forged in bravery and the sacrifice of our people, sanctified by the blood of American and Korean troops who fought and defended liberty.  And I’m proud we are joined today by veterans of the Korean War.

Those veterans are the reason we can stand here today –(applause) — two vibrant and innovative democracies.  We stand as strong, proud, and free because of them.

And it’s so meaningful, Mr. President, to visit the Korean War Veterans Memorial with you last night, to lay a wreath of remembrance, to fulfill a sacred obligation.

On September 1, 1950, Corporal Luther Story performed acts of bravery above and beyond all measure defending his brothers-in-arms on the Pusan Perimeter in the Korean — in the Korean War.

The last anyone saw of the Corporal, he was wounded, fighting off a hostile assault to protect his company’s withdrawal.

In 1951, his heroism was recognized with the Medal of Honor, but Corporal Story’s body was never accounted for, until now.

The Republic of Korea and the United States worked together to identify Corporal Story’s remains among those buried as a Korean War Unknow- — as a Korean War Unknown in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Today, we can return him to his family and to his rest, with all the honors he deserves, because we never forget our heroes.  (Applause.)

Mr. President, over the past seven decades, our alliance has grown stronger and more capable, and the cooperation between our people, our commitment to one another has grown deeper across every aspect of our partnership.

Today, our economies are on the vanguard of technological development; our nations are powerhouses of innovation; and our people, united still by our democratic values, are taking on the challenges of the world, and we’re taking them on together.

We’re standing strong against Russia’s brutal aggression against Ukraine, advancing an Indo-Pacific region that is free and open, building secure and resilient supply chains and pioneering the clean energy economy, investing together to ensure our future will be grounded in the values that we share, which have always — always — made us strong.

Mr. President, ours is a future filled with unimaginable opportunity and endless possibility.  Nothing — nothing — is beyond our ability to reach when our nations and our people stand united.  We have proven that time and again over the last 70 years.

As our troops say, who still proudly serve together in the ROK to this day: We go together.

May the — we continue that refrain of the Republic of Korea and the United States for all the days ahead: We go together.

God bless our nations.  And God protect our troops.

Thank you.  (Applause.)

PRESIDENT YOON:  (As interpreted.)  Mr. President, Dr. Biden, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

Last evening, my wife and I visited the Korean War Memorial on the National Mall with President Biden and Dr. Biden.

There, I saw the epitaph that reads, “Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met.”

Why did they sacrifice their lives for this faraway country and for the people they never met?  That was for one noble cause: to defend freedom.

The ROK-U.S. alliance was forged in blood as a result of our fight for freedom.  The ROK-U.S. alliance is not a transactional relationship; it does not operate for the sake of mere interest.  The ROK-U.S. alliance is an alliance of values, standing together to safeguard the universal value of freedom.  (Applause.)

Thus, the ROK-U.S. alliance is a just alliance; it is a global alliance for the freedom, peace, and prosperity around the world.  The ROK-U.S. alliance is an alliance in action moving toward the future.

Ladies and gentlemen, I came here to look back to the 70-year-long history of our alliance and, with President Biden, to design the vision for our shared future.

I came here to celebrate and congratulate on the 70th anniversary of the alliance with pride, with joy, and with the American people.  (Applause.)

President, Dr. Biden, I once again thank you for your kind invitation for my state visit.  And I also thank the American people for your warm welcome and hospitality.

Thank you.  (Applause.)

10:41 A.M. EDT

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APRIL 25, 2023

Remarks by Vice President Harris and President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea During a Visit to
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Goddard Space Flight Center

Greenbelt, Maryland

3:56 P.M. EDT

VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS:  Good afternoon.  NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, thank you for welcoming us once again and hosting us.  Astronaut Jonny Kim, who was here earlier — Jonny, I want to thank you and all of the Korean American NASA experts and all of the experts who work here for the work you do every day.

President Yoon, welcome to the United States.  It is good to see you again.  I thank you for the warm welcome you showed me when I was in Seoul.  And I welcome you, on behalf of the United States, to Goddard, a place of great pride for us as Americans.  And the work that is happening here through NASA is always awe-inspiring for me, and I hope you have enjoyed the tour we’ve had today.

During my visit to Seoul as well as the state visit, you and I and the President — our countries are demonstrating the expansive agenda between our two nations.  And we are demonstrating yet once again that our alliance is truly a global one.  

Our alliance is leading on some of the most important and pressing issues of our time.

In Seoul, you and I spoke, for example, about our collective defense in the face of aggression and provocation in the region.  We spoke about standing up for the international rules-based order.  And we strategized on our work together to address the climate crisis, economic security, and advanced technologies for our two nations.  And we consulted, of course, on our cooperation in space, which you and I are both quite enthusiastic about.

This year, we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the alliance between the United States and South Korea, which has been a linchpin of security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and around the world.

As part of this state visit, our administration looks forward to strengthening our alliance.  And so today, we focus on one component of our alliance in a particular: space, understanding the connection to our shared priorities on the issues of security and prosperity for our nations.

In our last meeting together, Mr. President, we agreed that we would strengthen our partnership on space.  And to that end, earlier today, our governments signed a joint statement to strengthen that cooperation.

With regard to this afternoon here at Goddard, we discussed our cooperation on the issue of space exploration.

Notably, last year, South Korea placed a satellite in lunar orbit that carries a high-resolution camera from NASA and will continue to work to search for water on the moon.

South Korea will soon fly payloads through NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program.  I like to think of it as our version of a ride-share program for space exploration.

And in the future, we look forward to expanding our collaboration on the Artemis program, which will return astronauts to the moon for the first time in 50 years and lay the groundwork for our mission to Mars.

With regard to the climate crisis, we agree the climate crisis poses an existential threat to our world.  And to meet this threat, we must partner together to use satellite technology to monitor the impacts of that crisis on Earth.

As one example, together, our nations have built and placed satellites in orbit that can track air pollution in North America and Asia.

Today, I have also directed the National Space Council, which I lead, to expand this network to ensure that it also covers the southern hemisphere, specifically the continent of Africa and South America.  This cannot be a global initiative if any nations around the world are excluded.

President Yoon, as you establish a national space agency, we look forward to continuing our priority on this very important issue of addressing the climate crisis.  And finally, regarding our work on space, our two nations are also working to establish international rules and norms for the peaceful and responsible use of space.

One year ago, I issued a challenge to all nations to join our commitment that I made on behalf of the United States to not conduct destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missile testing.

You and I discussed this topic during our meeting last year in Seoul.  And following that, you joined our commitment.

In fact, I’m pleased to report that, thus far, 155 nations have supported this effort at the United Nations.

We are also grateful for South Korea’s signing of the Artemis Accords, which will help create a safe and transparent environment for the civil use of space.

So I’ll conclude by saying to — again, we renew our commitment to strengthen our cooperation in the next frontier of our expanding alliance.  And, of course, that is space.

Space presents undiscovered and unrealized opportunity for our nations and for the entire world.  Our task is to work together to guide humanity forward safely, sustainably, and peacefully into this new frontier.

In this mission, the United States is very proud to work with South Korea.

Thank you, Mr. President.  (Applause.)

PRESIDENT YOON:  (As interpreted.)  Madam Vice President, Deputy Administrator Melroy, and everyone here today with a shared affection and passion for space: I had a chance to reread Carl Sagan’s “Pale Blue Dot” before today’s visit here, and his message about that pale blue dot being the stage where the entirety of human history unfolds still resonates deeply with me.

On July 20, 1967, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped off Apollo 11 to become the first humans to set foot on the Moon.  I still vividly remember watching that historic moment on TV; it was during summer break when I was in third grade.  And ever since, for me personally, space has been the embodiment of dreams and new challenges.

And my visit today to NASA, where all these dreams and challenges begin, reminds me of that moment and has made me renew my resolve to never stop pursuing my dreams.

Over the past six decades, NASA has inspired and instilled the can-do spirit in countless people around the world by championing mankind’s endeavors to explore the unknown universe.

NASA’s contributions to space exploration, the development of aerospace technology, and the betterment of human life, all empowered by its cutting-edge technological prowess, are nothing short of extraordinary.  I’m delighted that NASA’s Artemis program, designed to put men back on the Moon by 2025, is off to a successful start.

The universe has immense potential not only for bringing economic prosperity to mankind, but for offering breakthroughs in our efforts to cope with climate change and other global challenges.  For example, satellites can be a valuable tool in fighting climate change by collecting vast amounts of oceanic and climate data, which can be analyzed to identify causes of global warming and predict extreme weather events.

I’ve always believed that mankind’s future lies in space.  And with that conviction in mind, last year I laid out the Space Economy Roadmap, which aims to put Korea on a solid path towards becoming one of the world’s top five leaders in space technology by reaching the Moon for resource extraction by 2032 and landing people on Mars by 2045.  And under that vision, we’re in the process of establishing a Korean equivalent of NASA, called “KASA,” to spearhead this initiative.

The universe holds great promise as the stage where synergies from international solidarity and partnerships can deliver their greatest benefits.  The joint communiqué to be signed today between NASA and Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT will serve as a springboard for taking space cooperation between our two allies to the next level of a space alliance.

I also hope that growing bilateral collaboration in space will also enable the two allies to play a leading role in ensuring that benefits of space exploration are shared by all people around the world and take the helm in establishing fair and rational principles for use of outer space.

With KASA on the way, cooperation between KASA and NASA down the road will be the driving force behind forging a strong space alliance.  The first step in that direction will have to be a bilateral communication platform that can facilitate joint projects and the exchange of people, information, and knowledge between KASA and NASA.  I look forward to valuable input from NASA in shaping KASA through personal exchange and other means.

Once again, I’d like to reiterate the significance of this year as we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-ROK alliance.

The best way to celebrate this momentous milestone is for us to work together to elevate what has been so far a shared value-based alliance into a full-fledged, broad-based alliance, with space collaboration leading the next 70 years of this alliance.  It is my hope that the space alliance we will forge will go beyond cooperation in space technology and space economy to ultimately encompass space security.

In closing, I hope that today will go down in history as a day when our two allies took their first step towards forming a space alliance that becomes the impetus that stopped climate change.

Thank you.  (Applause.)

                        END                 4:07 P.M. EDT

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APRIL 24, 2023

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by First Lady Jill Biden at a Media Preview for the State Dinner of the Republic of Korea

State Dining Room, The White House

Welcome everyone! It’s a pleasure to be with you to preview this state dinner.

From my mother, I learned that setting a table can be an act of love. With just fresh flowers and a set of candles, she could turn an ordinary dinner into a magical moment that stayed with us long after the dishes were cleared away. Once I had my own family, I did my best to keep that tradition alive.

From my husband, I learned that politics is personal. It’s about finding the common threads of humanity that connect us, that transcend distance or difference, and building on those shared values.

We hope to bring those two ideas together as we welcome President Yoon and Mrs. Kim, honoring the 70 years of our alliance with symbols and moments of beauty that reflect both of our countries.

From the painted animals representing both countries that greet our guests, to the swirl of colors in the table décor that mirrors the South Korean flag, to the mix of symbolic flowers throughout—peonies, hibiscus, azaleas, and orchids—we hope to showcase the harmony of our cultures and our people intertwined. Guests will enjoy their meal beneath the boughs of cherry trees, a shared symbol of the renewal of spring.

And perhaps nothing better represents the harmony of our cultures than the guest chef who has designed our menu, Chef Edward Lee. His style of cuisine reflects his Korean family and the influence of his New York upbringing and Kentucky home. Chef Lee creates meals that are both familiar and surprising, a fusion of different worlds that finds a perfect balance. We’re honored to have his incredible talent alongside our White House chefs.

Finally, the evening will conclude with something distinctly American: musicals. Broadway stars will perform renditions of iconic songs, showcasing the craft and creativity of our country.

Every detail of this dinner has been thoughtfully planned by a team of people from across our government. So I want to thank the White House residence, our social team, and the State Department staff who have been working so hard to make this visit meaningful.

When the President and I have traveled to the Republic of Korea in the past, we have been welcomed with open arms. It’s my intention to bring as much warmth and joy to President Yoon and Mrs. Kim Wednesday evening. We hope to honor both the people of their home nation and the generations of Americans who share their roots.

Now I will turn it over to our Social Secretary, who has guided this process, Carlos Elizondo.

The United States strongly condemns the DPRK for its test of a long-range ballistic missile. The President and his national security team are assessing the situation in close coordination with our allies and partners.  This launch is a brazen violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions and needlessly raises tensions and risks destabilizing the security situation in the region. This action demonstrates that the DPRK continues to prioritize its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs over the well-being of its people.  We urge all countries to condemn these violations and call on the DPRK to come to the table for serious negotiations.  The door has not closed on diplomacy, but Pyongyang must immediately cease its destabilizing actions and instead choose diplomatic engagement.  The United States will take all necessary measures to ensure the security of the American homeland and Republic of Korea and Japanese allies.

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According to Arirang News April 12th, 2023, Bae Eun-ji, Arirang News.North Korea test-fired yet another intercontinental ballistic missile but for the first time in a month.

This time, it's presumed to be a new type of weapon.

The missile is assumed to be a solid fuel missile that is harder to detect before launch meaning it's hard to prepare any sort of response.

Developing this type of missile is one of the five key tasks of the Kim Jong-un regime.

Our national security correspondent Bae Eun-ji reports.

North Korea on Thursday morning fired what could be a new type of ballistic missile.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said that at around 7:23 AM, it detected an intermediate-range or longer missile fired from near Pyongyang.

It added the missile was launched at a high angle and flew about one-thousand kilometers before landing in the East Sea.

The military said it's maintaining strong defense readiness, by closely cooperating with the U.S.

"Because it was launched at a high angle, we believe its range was longer than that of an intermediate-range missile when launched at a normal angle. But more analysis is needed to confirm this."

While the military is carrying out further analysis, a military official told reporters that the launch may have involved a new type of weapon displayed at a recent military parade and that the military was not ruling out the possibility of it being a solid-fuel ICBM.

This is one of the five military tasks that the regime's leader, Kim Jong-un, announced at the key party meeting in January 2021, and was displayed for the first time at a military parade in February.

On Monday at its 6th enlarged meeting of the 8th Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party of Korea, Kim also stressed the need to expand the regime's war deterrence in a more practical, offensive, and effective way.

Thursday's missile test comes just two days ahead of what North Korea calls the "Day of the Sun" on April 15th, marking the birthday of its founding leader Kim Il-sung.

And it also comes as the North has remained unresponsive to routine calls with South Korea for around a week.

The inter-Korean liaison communication channel and a military hotline are normally used twice a day, but there has been no response via either channel since last Friday.

Experts have said Pyongyang's move appears to be in protest over the ongoing security cooperation between Seoul and Washington.

North Korea’s Missile Launch Forces Japan to Evacuate Citizens | Vantage with Palki Sharma

Firstpost, April 12th, 2023,   North Korea’s Missile Launch Forces Japan to Evacuate Citizens | Vantage with Palki Sharma

Early on Thursday, a new ballistic missile launch by North Korea forced Japan to issue emergency evacuation orders for the residents of Hokkaido. Are North Korea’s missile launches now becoming a threat to neighboring countries’ populace? Palki Sharma decodes.

“New Type” of North Korean Missile Sparks Frenzy in Japan | Kim Close to Getting Solid-fuel Rockets?.

Sources:  Arirang News, Youtube, Guadian News, CNN, Yunhap News Agency, 38North.org, wikipedia, flickr, AFB, Military News, White House, CSPAN, CBS, WP, TIWAN, White House, U.S. Navy
catch4all.com, Sandra Englund

Rev March 19th, 20th, 2023 , Rev. April 27, 2023, Rev. July 21, 2023